Canntaireachd is a method of orally describing the various movements in piobaireachd music. It probably dates back to before 1500 A.D., and has existed in many different "dialects". The predominant dialect of today is the Nether Lorn canntaireachd, as used in the Piobaireachd Society books. This is what will be described below, taken more or less verbatim from their preface.

The example of canntaireachd below also contains a sample of the MacCrimmon canntaireachd. That dialect uses wordings that are a bit closer to that is actually played, that, however, also makes it a bit more difficult to sing.